Kenyan cricket sinks to an all time low

The sad news has just filtered in. Despite its meteoric rise as a cricket power, Kenya has been excluded from the latest ICC ranking. The only reason Kenya has been left out is that the team has not played enough matches. It only played two matches during the period covered by the rating exercise. Australia remains at the top of the list with Sri Lanka retaining second spot. Pakistan has moved up two places to third spot. New Zealand are now fourth ahead of South Africa who drop one place to fifth.

The sad thing is that Kenya has lost its position in the top ten just because cricket authorities are not taking the game seriously. Even after the tough players took the country to the semis of the last world cup we have been forced to watch them bask in the shade of a forgotten world. They have not had enough international matches.

The other day the Kenyan team was cleared by the world cricket body's anti-corruption unit of any wrongdoing in the match fixing scandal that brought down former captain Maurice Odumbe.
This is a new chapter in the country's cricket future. The players have shown that talent plays a crucial role in the rising standard of the game in Kenya.

The government needs to start the development of cricket at grassroot level. It should initiate cricket training in primary schools. Only that way can the country develop to the required level of the game.

In the meantime the Kenya Cricket Association needs to pull up its socks. Let the players enjoy what they do best; playing cricket.

FIFA got it all wrong

It is now two days since FIFA decided that Harambee Stars will play Tunisia inside a closed stadium in next month's home tie. Our Harambee Stars team now sees its fans banned from the stadium in that important qualifier. The harsh decision denying our home team the support it so much needs to qualify for the African Cup of Nations was arrived at by some FIFA bigwigs. They gave the death of a teenage soccer during the last match against Morocco as the reason. Insecurity, FIFA said, has to be met with a stiff penalty. And they lashed out a whopping 25,000 francs fine on KFF. But who is to blame for the insecurity mess? Not the Kenyan fans and players. That is where FIFA got it all wrong.

To punish soccer lovers and players is a tragedy; KFF officials are a thick skinned lot and won't feel the pinch. The fine is OK but banning fans from the stands is outrageous. FIFA needs to know that the decision is ill-advised and as far as I see it, this is an extension of the heated battle for a world cup slot between Morocco and Tunisia. Morocco are hoping that Kenya can win their qualifier in Nairobi against their North African rivals (Tunisia). They had even offered Kenya training facilities. Tunisia are desperate for a win but know that Harambee Stars are capable of causing an upset. A decision like that taken by FIFA works in their favour. FIFA looks determined to see that Kenya doesn't have a cheering home crowd to help them battle the already nervous but determined Tunisians.

Methinks that some FIFA officials want to influence the way things shape up in Kenya's group. Otherwise how does one explain what has happened. This is the first time that a team has been forced to play behind closed doors because of a fan's accidental death. There have been many more matches around the world where fans died and fines were imposed on clubs and soccer bodies but banning fans from enjoying the game is unheard of.

We demand that FIFA revokes its nauseating decision to allay fears that they are planning to see certain teams through to the next world cup finals. We are watching this space.